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T^ ■ BIBX^^ 






-TVATZRTOWN, MASSACHUSETTS^::'";; :^y 



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COMPILED 1!Y , ■' ', V ^ 

ARTHUR B. FULLERi^^ 

MiXieTER OF THE FIRFT PABIPH. 




WATERTOWN : 
1861. 



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MOCST AUBURN-: 
PEISTED AT THE MEMORIAL OFFICE. 






CONTENTS. 

t r- 

5 

I...H1STOBICAI. Sketch : 

2.. .COTEXAST OF THB ChURCH, 

3... Names op Chukch Mejibebs, 

4...Str!!DAT School Organization, 

5... Parish Officers. Chosen April I860, for the 

12 

Ensciso Year 

6... Constitution and By-Latvs op the Social Bb, 

12 
HEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, 

7... List of Officers op Association, 13 

8... Female Society for Relief of the Sick 13 

9.. .Brief Statement of the Unitarian Belief,... 14 



\i: 



OF THE 

FIRST PARISH (IIJaTARIAN), IN WATERTOWN. 



^^-!> 



A COMPANY of early emigrants from England, whose prin- 
cipal leaders were bir Richard Saltonstall, Rev. George 
Phillips, and Elder Richard Browne, came to Watertown, as 
settlers, in 1630. The towD was incorporated, after the manner 
of that day, by a colonial enactment, Sept. 17, 1G30. The First 
Pai-ish (now "the Unitarian Societj) was established the same 
vear, and its affaire were then identified with those of the town. 
Watertown was so called from its ab\indanee of water in the 
river, and the spring.-:, and ponds in its then limits. It orig- 
inally included in its boundaries what now are the towns of 
Waltham, Weston, Belmont, and a portion of territoiy since form- 
ing a part of Lincoln and Cambridge, besides what is to-da\ the 
town of Watertown. There were ako the " Watertown taiius," 
or lands given by the colonial legislature to this town in Prince- 
ton, near Wachusett mountain. It will be seen that our town 
has been largely shorn of its original possessions, and much ci> 
cumscribed in territory. Tlie Church in this Parish, which word 
was then sj-non\-mou3 with that of township, was organized 
July 28, 1630, and is the mo^t ancient in the colony of Massa- 
chusetts Bay, except one — the First Church in Salem. It was 
the only ChurcU in Watertown for si.\ty-sLx years. Rev. George 
Phillips became its pastor on the day of its organization. He 
had previously been settled in England. He was extremely 
liberal and charitable in his theological opinions, and the earliest 
advocate of strict Concresationali-^m and Independency in the 
colony. Indeed, untU the arrival of Rev. John Cotton from 
England, he stood, in this resi)ect, alone among the clergy in 
New England. He also, in advising the town to resist a colo- 
nial tax, was the earhest asserter, in colonial affairs, of the doc- 
trine that " taxation without representation is tyranny," the 
ground-principle, many years subsequently, of our American 
Revolutionary struggle, ilr. Phillips died July 1, 1644. 

The Church also fully sympathized with its pastor in hberal 



r 



it 



RECORD OF THE FIKST PARISH 



views and love for strict independency. It was the first church 
which adopted thorough Congregationalism ami entire indepen- 
dency of other churches and human authority as its basis, and 
for along time stood alone in their advocacy ; it was regarded 
as somewhat heretical in ecclesiastical matters then, though it3 
Congregational system is now prevalent tliroughout ><ew Eng- 
land as the method of church government. Some of the eai-Uer 
members of the church were distinguished for their liberality of 
views, and tolerant spirit. Among these, Hon. Richard Salton- 
stall, who, after his return to England, wrote a letter to the 
magistrates of this colony in favor of toleration, and Elder Rich- 
ard Browne, who averred that eveu the Romish churches, in 
spite of many errors, were nevertheless churches of Christ, were 
preeminent The pai-ish and its ministers were also uniformly 
m favor of civil freedom, so that the town, then identical with 
the Parish, was selected as a place of refuge for the Gener^ 
Court during the Revolutionary struggle. 

Rev. Mr. Phillips was sole minister of the church and parish 
till Dec. 19, 1639, -when Rev. John Knowles was ordained by 
the Church as a colleague pastor with Rev. Mr. Phillips. Mr. 
Knowles had never been settled elsewhere. It -was an early 
custom to have two ministers of each church, one as pastor, the 
other as teacher, but this distinction was never observed in this 
Parish, iilr. Knowles was set apart to the work of the minis- 
try by the action of his own chiu-ch and ])arish only ; no minis- 
terial council was called, nor were the neighboringchurches and 
ministers asked to assist, or even notified. This is in con- 
formity to the principles of strict Conn;regationalism, though it 
caused some complaint by other ministers at the time. The 
r\"\it of each congregation to ordain or install its own ministers, 
wholly by itself, is clear and unquestionable, the expediency is a 
separate consideration. 

ilr. Knowles continued colleague pastor till the death of Mr. 
Phillips, and for some years subsequent, but in 1650 he re- 
tiuTied to England, where he died, April 10, 1/85. He also 
was a strict Congregationalist, and esteemed in his day, too liberal 
in ecclesiastical matters. 

Rev. John Sherman became colleague with llr. Knowles in 
1647, and remained pastor after Mr. Knowles's return to Eng- 
land, until his (Mr. Sherman's) decease, Aug. 8, 1685. He was a 
good, and a just man, and of marked intellectual, ability, as had 
been his predecessors. These three pastors were the sole minis- 
ters of Watertown, for the first fifty-five years after its settle- 
ment. 

Rev: John Bailey was installed as Mr. Sherman's successor, 
Oct. 6, 1686. This was the first inslallaiion in Massachusetts. 
It differs- from ordination by the ombsion of the practice of 



my> 

'^1 



IX WATERTONVN. 

" layin- on of hands." ^!r. Bailey took the ground a"^ strenu- 
ous^ maint^ned it.hJs Church assenting, that ^-J-? J^^" «°^^ 
ordained, consecration anew to the work of the °> "f 'T ^^ 
^ne^sskrj-, and seemingly called in ouestion the validity of the 
r^T^t.' Rev. Tl.omi^ Bailev lis brother, wa. a so em- 
Xved as his coUea-ue, until his (Thomas') death, Jan, 21 ,1689- 
frd^s nrappcar^from the records that he was ever ordained 
or Tm ov^ the church, though he was one of lU regular 

P^^eS tr/ohnBSy lea Wa,enown,.nd rettjrned^ 
B^ton and became there the assL^nt minister of the F^ 
rtareh. His chan-^e of residence and pastorship was doubtless 
Sa^oned bv his depression of spirits, owing to the death of h.^ 
Gloved wife and of L brother, which led him to feel that change 
Siene and labor was absolutely rec^uisile. No d>^a"^f^t'°" 
^t^veen him and his people is anywhere mentioned, and we 
have h"s private journil, as weU as official records He died 

^ Rel^'Uenn- Gibbs was invited to bo assistant pastor with 
Mr Biley "n 1C91. He accepted the call, and entered at onc^e 
;fpon duties, but was not Uained or installed unt. Oct. 6, 
1697 He continued pastor till his death, Oct. 21,1 . ii. 
^v. Seth Storer wL ordained July 22, 1724. . He died Nov. 
97 1774 aged seventv-two, after a usefol "^■"'^"T, ^^ °I" 
IftV V^ After his death, Rev. Dr. C<x,per, of Brattle S&eet 
ChU^oston, resided in this town for some time, Boston being 
Tnth^ possession of the British. He supphed this P; P>t du"°| 
hi t«m^rarv residence here, and it ^^%"°t"ntd April 29 
1778 that any successor to Mr. Storer was found. On that day 
i^e Rev D^iel Adams was ordained. His ministry was of 
Sort duration, for he was stricken down by the fatal hand of 
death the same year, and died Sept 16, 1778, after a mimstry 

°'£;%icWr£wel. Eliot was ordained pastor.of tins 
chim:h, June 21. 1780. He died Oct 21, 1818, aged sixty-six, 
after a ministry of thirtv-eight years. 

H a" hes^Christian mraisters have now gone to their Ion- 
home,Tt is proper to add that all were of irreproachable rnor^ 
a^d^ligious character, and most of them were men of distin- 
truished mental ability and pastoral gifts. . „f *!,« 

^Rev. Convers/ Francis, D.D., was ordamed pi^ or of^e 
First Church and parish in VS atertown f °%23, 1819. AJ^er 
twenty-three years pastorate, he resigned Juue 21, 1842, m order 
racclptThe imJrtant professorslSp of Pulpit Eloquence and 
T^^J Care. iJ the Divinity School of Harvard \jniven.ty. 
His fareweU discourse was preached Au|^ 21 ,\»*^- 

Rev. John Weiss, Jr., was ordained Oct 2o, 18^3. tie re 



i 



RECOUD OF TUE FIRST PARISH 



1-^ 



sijjned Oct. 3, 1S45, but resiimsJ hi,s pastorate, oji invitation of 
the parish, in 1S16, and continued in the work of the miuistry 
here, until his resignation in Xov. 1S47. 

Kev. Hasbrouck Davis was ordained iSIarch 28, 1S49. He re- 
signed May 11, 1853. 

Rev. George Bradford was ordained ISov. 6, 1 8-56. He died 
Feb. 17, 185y, after a brief but useful ministry. 

Rev. Arthur B. Fuller, f irnierly pastor of the IN'ew North 
Church, Boston, became pastor of the First Parish, "Watertowu, 
March 1, ISliO. Following the precedents of lormer pa.stors in 
the parish, and by his own e.xp.ess desire, there was no-formal 
installation-service by a council fi-om abi-oacl, but he preached 
discourses, defining the mutual duties of pa.-tor and people, oa 
the first Sundav in March, at which time his letter of acceptance 
of then- call, was read to the parish and congregation. 

There have, of course, been several houses of worship for the 
First Parish in this town. The first meetiug-hrjuse of the parish 
■was probably built soon after the settlement of the town, as in 
the earliest town records, in 1G35, a vote of £S0 is ordered for 
the charge of the new meeting-house, pliiinlv implying that there 
had been another, and older one, previous to that date. It was 
probably a very humble aliair, and fit only for a few years oc- 
cupation in the infant state of the settlement. We are satisfied 
that the first two meeting-houses were built upon a rising knoll 
ofground belonging to the old Coolidge estate, on the main 
road, near Mr. tieorge Frazar's house. The oldest pai-soaage 
house is now the resilience of Joshua Coo'idge. Jr. 

The principal part of the earlier sottlere of AVatertown, lived 
in the part of the town near Jit. Auburn, early called Sweet Au- 
burn, nearly all of which wa-s originally comprised in the territory 
of Watertown. The second meeting-house, probably the first of 
any pretension, was erected at a very early date, and was doubt- 
less quite humble in its ardiitectural character. As early as 
1654, a new meeting-house was ordered by the town, but owing 
to a fierce contention about its site, it was not built and occupied 
until Nov. 1 G56. It stood near, or upon the old site, in the vicinity 
of the ancient burial ground. After an exciting controversy about 
location, another meeting-house was built for the parish, and subse- 
quently accepted February 4, 1«96. It had probably _ been 
occupied before that time, as a town-meeting was held " in the^ 
■ new meeting-house," Dec. 20, 1095. It stood at the crossing of 
Lexington and Belmont streets, at a place called fi-equently the 
" Four Corners." The building of this church led to a parish 
division and the formation of a society, over which Mr. Angier 
was pastor, and which subsequently became the first society in 
Waltham. But it is not to our present purpose to follow the 
historj- of any other parish than our own. The parish records 



^■^ 



nf WATERTOV'X. 



remainiuir wkli our church and society, and the minister employed 
bv the town (Mr. Gibbs), as colleague with Rev. ^Ir Bailey, 
coQtiuuins to minister to thi~ parbh, and bemg ordained over it, 
are facts (feclslve as to tlie que.<tioQ whether this, or the Waltham 
parish, is the ori<riual sotietv in Waterlown. 

Jan. 14, 1723° it was voted to build a church on Meeting- 
House hill, then called S.hool-House hill, and a church was ac- 
cordioMy erected there- In Koi, after renewed controversies, 
a chuivh was erected, on land siven for the purpose, on Mt. 
Auburn St., near the new burjing ground m this towii, Dut 
before its entire completion, May, 1754, it was burned to -the 
ground by some incendiary. Another church was built on tne 
same spot, and completed Feb., 1155. 

SepT-, 183fl. 1 church, on the snot where our present 
one stands, was completed and dedicated. On the day ot dedi- 
cation, the bell for the church, was broken m the raising. 
The edifice itself was destroved by fire, July 21, 1841. lue 
fire broke out, not in the church, but in a bam in the rear 
of the Spriu" Hotel, and in less than an hour the church was in 
ashes, making the second church belonging to this parish thus 
lo^t; one eutirelv new, and the second only a few years old. 
The Orthodox church, during the present year (1861), makes 
the third thus destroyed in town. Our present church was UeU- 
icated Au2. 3, 1842.' , , r, r> 

In the foregoing historical sketch. I have consulted K«v. Ur. 
Francis' ffistorica! Sketch, published 1830, Bond's Historj' of 
Watertown, Mr. De F. SaiTord's lecture, and the pansh rec- 
ords. Manv points are involved in obscuritv-, and the authori- 
ties do not' always coincide respecting dates, in which ca.ses 1 
have sought to decidfi according to the weight of evidence and 
'latest research. 




CHUKCH COVENANT, 

FOKM OF ADMISSION TO THE CHUKCH. 

ADOPTED Dec. 28^ 1856. 



I>- the presence of God and thia church, you confess your be- 
lief in the only living aud true God, and your desire to live ac- 
cording to his will. 

You believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- 
ments contain the records of God"s revelations to mankind, and 
alFord the only perfect rule of faith and practice. 

You affirm your faith in oiu- Lord Jesus Chiist as the prom- 
ised Messiah, "and the Saviour of the world, and you desiieto 
manifest your love and gratitude toward him, by becoming his 
faithfid disciple. 

You profess a true and earnest repentance of your sins, and 
you promise that you will endeavor henceforth to observe all 
God's holy ordinances, and to yield obedience to every trath of 
His, which has been, or shall be made known to you as your 
duty, the Lord assisting you by his spirit and rrrace._ 

We, then, the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ, in this place, 
receive you into fellowship with us, to watch over you in the 
Lord, as becometh our sacred relation to you, and this we do 
with our prayers to the God of all grace, that you, and that we, 
may be faithfid to our religious engagements. Amen. 



LIST OF CHUECH MEMBERS, 

(auh-vbeticallt akeasced.) 



Ivers J. Austin. 
Arad Bailey, 
Charles J. Barry. 
Charles Bemla. 
Tyler Bijelow. 
Morton \V. Brown. 
George Fraz;ur. 
Hiram Hosmer. 



MALES. 

Daniel Tjeamed. 
Daniel F. Learned. 
EUsha Livermore. 
Siimiiel Richardson, 
Thomas Livermore. 
Sumner Sargent. 
Asa Stone. 
Nathaniel R. Whitney. 



i 



i 






RSCMRO OF FinST PARISH ES WATZRTOWN. 11 




FEMALES. 


Mrs. Eliiabeth T. Auftin. 


Miss Hannah Ljvennore. 




" Harriet E. AttwiU. 


" Eliza Livennora. 




" Joan Bailey. 


Jlrs. Sarah Livertnore. 




" Frances Barnard. 


" Hannah Livennore. 




Miss Sarah A. Barnard. 


Miss Maria Livennore. 




Mrs. Sarah Barrett. 


Mrs. Sarah May. 




Miss Sarah W. Barrett. 


" Mary Jane Meacham. 




Jlrs. Anne V. Bemis. 


" Jane Anne Meacham. 




" Mary Bird. 


" Mary Richardson. 




" Mary Brigham. 


" Roxey Robinson. 




Miss Scsan Briehara. 
Mrs. Susannah Bright. 


" Sarah Robbing. 




Miss Lois Robbins. 




" Mary Brood. 


Mrs. Lucy Rogers. 




" Ann Bromi. 


Miss Caroline A. Rogers. 
Mis. Roxanna Russell. 




". Rachel Carlron. 




Miss Sarah G. Qarke. 


Miss Elizabeth Sanger. 




Jlrs. L. F. Chenerr. 


" Martha Sanger. 




" Sally Chenerv. 
JGss Sarah Cook. ' 


Jfo. Marj- A. Sargent. 




Miss Lvdia Sprague. 




Mrs. Ruth Dana. 


Mrs. Jfary A. Sherman. 




" Lydia B. Farmer. 


Miss Sarah Steams. 




" ■ Caroline C. Harrington. 


Mrs. Abigail S. Stone. 




" Lydia Harrington. 


" Mary Stone. 




" .Jane Holden. 


Miss Nancy Swift. 




" Emily Horn. 


Mrs. Lucy'Thaxter. 




" . Margaret V. Kendall. 


" Lucy Titcorab. 




" Eleanor Learned. 


Miss Abby B. Vose. 




" Lncy Learned. 


Jlrs. Rebecca Whiting. 




Miss Lucy A. Learned. 


Miss Addie Whiting. 




" Helen A. Learned. 


iMrs. Sally Whitney. 




• " Marv Elizabeth Learned. 


" Ruth Whitn^. 

" JUrtha G. ^hitney. . 




Mrs. Sarali S. Lincoln. 




■ SUNDAY-SCHOOL ORGANIZATION 




FOR 18G1. A' 




SUPERINTENDENT. 




W. H. IX GRAHAM. 




LIBRARIANS. 




D. F. LEARNED, | THOJLAS CAMPBELL. 




TEACHERS. 




MALES. 




IVERS J. ArSTEN". 


AMOS HOLBROOK, Jr. 




GEORGE FRAZAR. 


W. n. INGRAHAM. 




J. B. GOODRICH. 


A. LLNXOLN. 






1^ 



t 



4 



I 



RECORD OF FIRST PARISH 



FEMALES. 
Mis* M. E 






Mr3. 1. J. AUSTEf. 
Miis LUCY D. BAILEY. 
Mrs. GEORGE BRADFORD 
Mis8 >[. BRIGHT. 

" S. BROWN. 
Mrs. B. DANA. I 

" A. B. FULLER. i 

No. of Scholars, 
" " Teachers, 
" " Vols, in Library, 



LEARNED. 
MARIA LIVERMORE. 
" C. S.,VNGER. 
Mrs. M. A. SARGENT. 
>[iss LYDIA SPRAGUE. 
" M. WHITNEY. 



108. 

20. 

860. 



PARISH ORGANIZATION 

FOR I860, TILL ANNUAL MEETING IN 1861. 
PARISH COMMITTEE. 

ARAD BAILEY, H. P. PAGE, 

■ WM. H. INGRAHAiL 

CLERK AND TREASURER. 
ISAAC ROBBINS. 



CONSTITUTION 

OF THE 

WATERTOWN SOCIAL BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION, 

AS ADOPTED OCT. 9lh, 1S60. 



Akt. 1. Name. The name of this Society shall be "The 
WATERTOwy Social A>'D Bexevolest A5soci.\TioN." • 

Art. 2. Objects. Our objects shall be the relief of the des- 
titute, the support of religious institutions, and mutual acquaint- 
ance and friendship. 

Art. 3. Officers. The board of officers shall consist of 
twenty directors (ten ladies, and ten gentlemen), one of whom 
shall act as secretary, and one as treasurer ; and they shall be 
chosen at the annual meeting of the association. 

Art. 4. Duties. It shall be the duty of the officers to pre- 
side at the meetings of the association, in rotation, and also to 
arranfe work, devise plans, and, in general, to act for the wel- 
fare of the Society. Upon them also, shall devolve the duty of 



Tytf?-.-."^ 



IX WATERTOWN. 



.13 



visiting any families connected with the WatertowTi Unitarian 
society, not members of the association, and inviting them to 
become members. 

The secreUr)- and treasurer shall present, at each meeting, 
ar«portof the proceedin;;, and receipts at the previous meetmg. 

Art. 5. Order. "While one of our objects is social inter- 
course, yet as nothing can be accomplished without order, it 
shall be the duty of both officers and members to nreserve quiet 
and attention during the transaction of business, -which shall uni- 
formly be conducted in an orderly and regular manner. 

Abt. 6. Meinbership. This association shall consist of both 
gentlemen and ladies, who shall become members by the pay- 
ment, each of the sum of tnenty-five cents annually. 

Art. 7. Meelings. The annual meeting of this association 
shall be held on the third Wednesdar in November, and other 
meetings on the third Wednesday of each month, at such place 
as the association may determine, and a meeting may be called 
at any time by a notice given from the pulpit. 

Art. 8. Amei^dmenL^. This constitution may be amended 
by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at any meetmg, 
provided notice of the intended amendment has been given at 
the previous meeting. 

BY-LAWS. 



Art. 2. This association shall meet the third Wednesday of 
each month, at the vestry, or at private bouses, as shall be most 
a<nveable to the partv entertaining the association. 

Art. 2. Each member shall pay a monthly tax of five cents, 
(or, if preferable, mav pay the entire simi for the )-ear m ad- 
vance,) said tax to be collected by the treasurer. 

Art. 3. The supper shall not exceed tea, bread and butter, 
good cake and cheese. ^ ' 

Art. 4. Tlie association shall convene atthi-ee o clock p. m., 
and be dosed at ten, with singing or prayer. Tea at half-past 
ax. 

OFFICERS. 

Treasurer, lliss ^L^.EI.l. Livermoee. 
Secretary. Miss Etta Lincoln. 



FEMALE SOCIETY FOR RELIEF OF THE SICK. 

In 181G, the ladies of Watertown, witnessing around them 
much distress arising from povertj-, aggravated by sickness, pro- 



14 



RECORD OF FIRST PARISH 



p<»ed to unite under tte name of the Watertowa Female Sot 
ciety for the relief of the indigent sick. Subscnbera having 
been obtained, they met for the first time, at the hou^e of Mr. 
E. W. Dana, Dec 17,1816, for the choice of otEcers. 

In 1817, it bein^ the wish of the ladies that the object of this 
society be extended, it waa voted to expunge the word ">°di- 
<rent," and that the society be known by the name of " The 
^Vatertown Female societj'for the relief of the sick." A desire 
was alio expressed that any Imlividvial in town, who bad occa- 
sion for any articles belonging to the society, should call up.m 
the treasurer, with au order from the president, without heii- 

Thb usefiil society, under the judicious direction of a lady 
•who was one of the original members, continues at the present 
time, its benevolent labors. 



kM 



A BRIEF STATEMENT. ■ 

OP THE 

UNITARIAN BELIEF. 



Unitarians have often been accused of having no creed, and the 
accusation as often denied. Our denomination are satistied with 
nothino- less than the BiUe, which is always our ultimate appeal, in 
matter? of relif ions faith and practice. We do object to imposing 
any man-devised formularies of faith, any bodies of divmity (often 
bodies without a soul), anv abstrur/s of doctrine, upon a church, and 
makin<» these abstracts a test of fellowship and Christian ch.uracter. 
In respect to human creeils. Unitarians have always contended that 
if they contained more than the Scriptures, they contamed too much ; 
if less, they were insufficient ; and if precisely as much, that they were 

But while we have thus rejected the imposition of any arbitrary 
test framed by men, be they never so pious and learned, we have at 
aU suitable times been -svillins to utter most freely our sentiments, 
and to oive a reason for the hope which is in us, making, however, 
no snclT declaration binding upon the conscience of others. 

The following brief statement of the Unitarian belief, -nntten by 
an esteemed clergyman of our denomination, has already been -ividely 
circulated among us. I have myself distributed many copies of it, 
both in the Wesrem frontier settlements, and in New En^and. At 
once definite and truthful, it has put to rest many a calumny agamst 
our views —calumnies often ignorautly uttcretl,— and has been re- 
ceived with acceptance by pious men of every denomination. I have 
often thought that some such statement was needed, and have seen no 



Ef WATERTOWN. 



15 



Other which eo fully met the existing want Bs this. Its brevity se- 
cures Rtlention, while its cleamosi and force cany with it conviction. 
We as k of any, into wIkisb hands it may come, carefully to peruse it, 
compare it with the sacred volume, and to receive its statements only 
if found in conformity with Scripture ; bnt to read it withont preju- 
dice, and with a feeling that truth, come from whom it may, is equaUf 
valnable to each intelligent and immortal being. 

ARTHDB B. FULLER. 



?53L> 



DECLABA1TON OF FAITH. 

" TJjriTiBIASS BELIEVE THE BiBLE, I. E., THE SCBIPTCKES Or 

THE Old A.KD New Tesi.iments, to be a becoed of the Beve- 
LATioxg, Dispensations, Purposes and Will op God to Has. 
Thet receive this pueciocs tolcjie as their onlt guide IK 

FAITH and practice. 

" Unitarians 'believe in the Father, and in the Son, and in the 
Holy Ghost.' 

" They believe in God, the eternal and uncreated One, the Crea- 
tor nud upholder of all thincs — the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and 
of Jacob— Israel's God — Jehovah, revealed by Jesus of Nazareth as 
not only such, bat alfo as the God and Father of the »hole human 
fimily — that in and of himself, he possesses all those attributes and 
perfections •which render him worthy of the homage, love and 
obedience, which he requires of his children ; — they lelieve in his 
power, wisdom, and goodness, in his providence, bounty and grace, — 
that He only is entitled to supreme worship and veneration, the 
hour having come, when all true worshippers are required to ' wor- 
ship the Father in spirit and in truth.* 

" They believe that Jesus of Naz.ireth is the Messiah promised of 
Jehovah to the Jews — the Christ, ' the Son of the Living God ' — 
sanctified and sent into the world by his Father, because ' God so 
loved tlie world, that he guve his only begotten Son, that whoso- 
ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life ' — 
tlmt he is the only Saviour of smners, the' only Mediator between 
God asid man 'the way, the truth, and the life,' worthy to be loved, 
honored, trusted and obeyed. — They believe that all their prayers 
ti>oa\d be offered to the Father, in'the name of Christ — that thev 
should possess his mind aud spirit, imitate his example, and throogn 
him, look to God for pardon and eternal life. 

"They believe in the Holt Ghost, that power of God, that di- 
■^Ine influence by which Christianity was established through mirac- 
nloas aid, that spirit which was given to Christ without measure, 
and which is stiU shed abroad and imparted to all who sincerely re- 
pent of their sins, torn onto God, devote themselves to his service, 
ai>d seek him in the way of Iiis appointment. 

"Unitarians believe in human depraviry, not in innate and total 
depravity and the imputation of Adam's fiii — bnt m the ver>- great 
de|iravity of mankind, the deceitfulness and wickedness of the human 
hsaut, tiie alienation of man from God through ignorance and sin. 



i^. 



16 



RECORD OP FIRST PARISH IX WATERTOWX. 



"Unitarians believe in the Atonement or Reconciliation not 

that Christ died to appease the wrutli, or satisfv the jnsiire of Gixl 
to reconcile God to muTi, hut to reconcile in:in to God, to brin"- bncic 
the ivandcrmg and sinful children of men to pr.tlis of obeilience «7id 
holiness, to a oneness of feeling, aftbction and purpose irith their 
Father m Heaven, ft-om whom their sins liail separated tliem. Tliej 
believe that the plan of redemption bv Cln-ist, ori-inated ia the love 
. of the Father, ' that God so Io^ od the world, that he <,-ave his only 
begotten Son, that whosoever belicveth in him should not perish but 
have everlasting life ; ' that the niissioQ of Christ was intended to 
produce a change in man, b v an assarance of God's love and willin'»- 
ness to forgive the returning penitent; 'that God was in Christ re- 
conciling the worid uato himself,' that throngh-the blood of Christ, 
all who are led by its influence npoij tlieir hearts to sincere repent- 
ance and the renunciation of sin, have forgiveness from the Heav- 
enly Father. Unitarians look for accei)tance, not for imv merit in 
themselves, but from the free, unpurcliasei! grace or mercy of God 
made known in the gospel, and sealed by tlie blood of Christ. Bnt 
thev consider a life of uprightness, integrity, charity, devotion and 
holiness, as the only satisfactory proof of a heart reconciled to God 
— the only evidence that the atonement has been received. 

" UxiTAKi.i.NS believe in regeneration, conversion, chano-e of 
heart ; they believe that we are saved by grace, throitgh faith" and 
that i5 is the gift of Gofl — that faith must be an active operatin" 
principle — that all must repent of their sins — that tnie repentance 
consists, not only in remorse of conscience and sorrow of heart bnt 
also in amendment of life — in ceasing to do evil, and leamicf to do 
• well. ° 

"Unit-vbiaxs believe in experimental religion — not a mcraentarv 
excitement — nor the experience of an hour or a dav — they rcmril 
Jesus of Nazareth as its most perfect pattern — they see him iii'the 
world, but not of it, humbly walking in the path of dutv — doing the 
work given hira to do by his Father, tenijited, sconn^ and biritetetl by 
the world — they see hun moving onward, trusting in his Father's 
care, and only anxious to do his will — lalKuing for the salvation of 
man — snflering for his sake, even to the cruel death of the cross, and 
at that honr firaying to his Father to forgive his n^urderers. 

" UxiTAHi.\>-s believe in the resurrection of the d^rad — a jcdgnjent 
to come, ajid a life beyond the grave — ' that without holiness, no 
man c;m see the Low! ' — that for the good, tliero is happiness withont 
end ; for the evil, the impenitent, there is misery and woe bevond 
the grave. 

" UNITARIAN'S believe in the supreme and all-absorbiag impor- 
tance of religion — that the sord's concern is the great concern — that 
compared with this, all other things aie as nalliing — that the inter- 
ests of vital, practical religion are the great interests of their h*inf 

that the Almighty has made all nccessaiy provision for their ever- 
lasting happiness, and that no anxiety is too deep, no care too heed- 
ful, no effort too earliest, and no prayer too iniporfinate to obt:un its 
blessing." 



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